Groove Adventure Rave: My Stupid Mistake
by yanagi-chan
Summary: The first fanfic for for Rave. This is a typical love story that's supposed to be a love triangle only when the real story begins our heroes and heroines discover that love has angles even math can't solve.
1. Chapter 1

"My Stupid Mistake"  
  
It promised to be an ordinary Sunday afternoon at The Akaii Tomato, a 24-hour convenience store and bookshop run by my Uncle Kari, where I work as a part-time bookkeeper, cashier, and all around lap dog. So there I was, sitting in one of the high stools near the candy counter, totally engrossed in a hot new paperback by Mike Cutthroat of the Cutthroat Series. Guess you should know by now, I'm an espionage freak. I get my thrills from wrestling books with heavy, he-man type themes--- blood, gore, awesome fistfights and naturally, gorgeous women encased in slinky satin and tight leather. Well this particular afternoon, I had my head buried in the latest MC release called "Terminate With Extreme Pain." I was getting to the juicy part. Vash, (the series' macho and ultracool hero) was in quite a bind, disarmed by the sexy Eurasian spy, a dagger in her teeth when…  
Clang! Clang! Clang!  
"What the hell…"  
  
"Musica-san, oi genki deska?" chirped an all-too familiar female voice, cutting through my daydreams and right through the image of the gorgeous Eurasian girl. I threw down the book in exasperation and looked up to find myself in close-range contact with a pair of velvet-brown eyes.  
  
"Musica-san? Can I pay for this book now?"  
  
Elie Valentine pushed her face straight through mine's, so close our noses where almost touching. I bolted back instantly, like some weird shot of electricity passed through the wisp of space that separated us. She blinked several times, her brown eyes immensely curious, as if trying to take a photocopy of my face. Ok, so she had nice enough eyes. But that was about it, appeal-wise. Elie was a kid…a precocious fourteen-year old who's always romping about the streets in her run-down bike and wheeling into Akaii Tomato to ruin my quiet afternoons.  
  
"Ok, Elie, let's have the book."  
  
"Here…ummm…don't look at the title, ne Musica-san?"  
"If I don't look at the title, how would I know the price?" I had to hand it to Elie, not only is she BUILT like a 14-year old, she also thinks like one. But that was the least of my problems. I have enough going on in my teenage life without having to worry about some dippy kid whose idea of dressing up is to tie the laces on her sneakers. But little did I know that from that very moment, my biggest worry was about to begin.  
  
"The price is on the back," Elie said nervously, pushing the book towards me.  
"I have news for you Elie--- the title is on the back cover too."  
  
"It is? Well…well I…ummm…oh yeah! I think I have enough change here to pay for that. " She made a big show of searching the pockets of her shorts for money.  
  
Now we storekeepers have been trained never to make any tactless, unnecessary comments to our customers other than the standard greetings like "Welcome to Akaii Tomato, may I help you," "Oh yes ma'am/sir, that's a good choice," "No, it's very fresh, I guarantee it" and stuff like that. This is one of the sacrosanct practices you have to master if you work in a convenience store since half the time, you really get your share of the weirdos such as the time when I had to ring up a purchase for a sweet old lady who bought a long rope and several candlesticks (Ugh! Bondage???). There was also the time I had to wait on a hulking fullback type who kept asking me for advice on the number of calories and sugar of each item she pulled out from the shelves. So you see, I'm a professional at this sort of thing. I never make a comment, never embarrass a customer, just take the money, write up the charge slip and I'm done. And this is EXACTLY what I did with Elie's book. Even if it was called "How To Drive Guys Crazy" and all I wanted to do was fall on the floor laughing.  
  
"Here you go Elie, have a nice day."  
  
"Do you mean it, Musica-san?"  
  
"Mean what? Have a nice day? Of course I mean it. Friends always say that to each other."  
  
"Oh…that's what I thought" she trailed off, her mop of mousy, caramel-colored hair covering her face.   
"Well…guess I'll see you around in school."  
  
And with that, she left the store, a dejected look plastered all over her face. I returned to Vash's exploits, only I couldn't concentrate. I mean, the last person in the world you'd expect to buy something entitled "How To Drive Guys Crazy" is Elie Valentine. That girl is just about the biggest oddball in her freshman class---no, scratch that, the biggest oddball in the entire school! We're talking here about a girl who was born with a sniper in her hand…no kidding! Elie Valentine is the only girl member of the school's gun club and the only girl to qualify for the national shooting finals in the prefecture. Her first words were "alpha" and "bullseye" and her idea of a social function would probably be the 38th National Shooting Festival. Every time she came to the store, she bought stuff like holsters, bullets, and slings and I figured she's stocking up on reading material on the subject since she's always buying mags like "Bulletproof," "Triple Alpha," and "Point Blank." On top of that, she's a total ditzy dame. Elie is the kind of girl who has never heard of the word "walk" and I'd bet my Mike Cutthroat collection she's probably the only baby who learned to hop first rather than crawl on all fours.   
  
Anyway, the last thing you'd expect Elie to have on her mind was driving guys crazy. Now Reina Rosette. That's a bird with an absolutely different plumage from Elie…and from the rest of the female pack if I may say so myself. And believe me, I'm not exaggerating when I say that I'm not the only guy in school who would dare say that. Any warm-blooded male would fall flat on his collective face before he could even say his two cents worth to Reina Rosette. Reina didn't need a book to tell here how to drive men crazy---Reina could have TUTORED the book's author on the subject. She hardly ever drops by the store but she's in my homeroom at school and drove me crazy for 45 minutes every day. She sat two seats apart from me directly in front of my best friend Haru's desk. She has this habit of tossing her long, forest-green curls and kept hitting my friend Haru's face with it. This drove Haru crazy for he kept getting her hair in his mouth and face, "and God knows if that's the only thing I'm getting from her, " Haru would often quip annoyingly. Well, I saw this as a golden opportunity so the next homeroom, I willingly traded places with Haru and sat behind Reina, inhaling her overpowering jasmine scent, waiting impatiently for the feel of her luxurious locks. But I never did get to feel her hair sweep upon my face. The homeroom teacher found out we switched places during roll call and ordered us to return to our own seats.  
  
I was still wrapped up in my thoughts of Reina when the old granddaddy clock that hung in the far right corner of the store began to bang unceremoniously. It was near 6 p.m. already. In a couple of minutes, my relief Snake, would come by for the night shift. I couldn't believe I spent almost an hour thinking about Elie (with maybe a couple of minutes for Reina, which just goes to show how petty disturbances could mess up your priorities).  
  
What had Elie meant when she asked if I really meant my "Have a nice day" greeting? Why would she be so disappointed if my greeting wasn't that heartfelt, that I merely parroted it the way I do to all customers? Why would she care If I were just being polite or not? I could no longer read the text on the paperback, Elie was driving me nuts! Kami-sama!!! "How To Drive Guys Crazy" was working already. She had bought it only an hour ago and she had already driven one guy crazy---ME.  
  
Then a scary thought crept right through my veins. Was it possible---no, it couldn't be! But then…was it possible that Elie bought that book---to make ME crazy? Why else would she ask such a weird question on my sincerity? Why then would she look as if the entire planet crashed on her when I told her I always say the same lines to my friends? I never thought about it but the feeling of flattery and nausea when mixed together could actually taste like---puke.  
  
That night, I invited Haru over for dinner. I was in such a state of turmoil I was afraid the pizza would go down the wrong way if I ate it alone.  
"Oh, I don't know Musica, maybe you're going overboard. Elie's nothing to get sick over." Haru told me, that little smile of his appearing at the corner of his mozzarella-laden mouth.  
"I didn't mean sick as in really sick. I just mean---me and the Wild West Queen? What did I ever do to interest Elie? Assuming that she's interested and I hope not!"  
  
"I dunno. Ask yourself that. Besides, what would you have that Reina Rosette would be interested in anyway?"  
  
"I dunno. I don't care. She can use me as a dishrag for all I care!" I blurted out fervently.  
  
"Geez…you're worse off than Elie. Look out, you're spouting anchovies…hehe!"  
  
I glared at Haru. He finds my obsession with Reina unusually unhealthy and manages to push my buttons every chance he gets.  
  
"Some friend you are. I invite you over and spring for the pizza and this is how you help me? Well what do I do now?"  
  
"Musica, let's get things straight shall we? There's nothing you can do---yet. Nothing's happening yet for heaven's sake! Did Elie throw herself at your lap and drool all over you? Did she try to faint in the hallways so you could catch her and carry her in your arms? Did she try to Krazy-glue herself to you in science class? NO. If you were a new gun model, now that would be worth wondering about."  
  
"Very funny, friend." I shot back at Haru, my eyes watering. Somehow, I had managed to swallow a whole anchovy while talking about whom else---Elie the Wild West Queen. "Dire things are about to happen Haru, I can feel it in my gut. That girl is out to get me and I'm about to get shot like a dummy in a shooting gallery."  
  
"Hmm…" Haru trailed out thoughtfully while wrestling with the sticky mozzarella. "Even if you're right, which I completely disagree with at this point, there is one last consolation for you, Musica my good friend."  
  
"Oh? And what's that?"  
  
"Elie's a champion shooter." 


	2. Chapter 2

~~~~~~~~~oOOOo~~~~~~~~~~  
The week flew by fast enough without any more "attempts" from Elie. Haru had been harping his horn at the success of his own predictions and to celebrate his so-called "perceptive powers," the guy was unbelievably willing to spring for two movie tickets and popcorn to boot. It was a Wednesday and mid-week respites such as a good movie are always welcome changes to two brain-dead teens like yours truly. Anyway, Haru and I piled into my mother's tiny Spider and headed for the mall. The mall has this big theater called The Silver Screen where they show fifteen separate movies, so there's always something to see even during mid-week. When we arrived, there was a really long line at the ticket counter so we both decided to browse around for a while and pick the flick to watch.  
"Pirates of the Carribean sounds good," Haru remarked casually, perusing the glossy movie ad. "What do you think loverboy?"   
  
"Would you stop calling me that? You make me sound like some sicko." I glared at him. I seem to be glaring a lot at people these days. "Pirates of the Carribean is rated R you dope. They'd never let us in."  
  
"You don't think we can pass for eighteen?"  
  
"Have you taken a good look in the mirror lately pal? I doubt those soft wads of cotton you call biceps could pass you off as an adult. Besides, there are fourteen other films to choose from," I pointed out.  
  
"Two Disney movies, one opera, three rated R's, a cowboy western, an icky romantic foreign film, a---- well, well, well! Look what we have here!"  
  
"Look where? What?" I demanded, my head spinning around like a top it nearly snapped off my neck.  
  
"Mmm," Haru rumbled, glancing near the popcorn stand. "I think we're in for a very interesting mid-week night, ne Musica?"  
  
I followed his glance and it landed on a denim-clad figure hovering in the counter of the popcorn stand. It was Reina Rosette in living daylight-well, theater lights, to be precise about it.  
"Wooohooo," Haru whooped. "Boy, I'd like to hear what my esteemed colleague has to say about this development. So what's the next move loverboy?"  
  
"I told you to quit calling me that! And shut up ok? Don't embarrass me."  
  
"Embarrass you? Hardly! You can do that well enough yourself, " Haru retorted. He shoved me into the ticket window a bit too forcefully that I hit the railing. My eyes watered over with pain and just as I was about to strangle my friend, who should come up behind us that very moment but the Vision of Magnificence herself.  
  
"Hi Musica," Reina chirped in that melodic voice of hers as she got behind us in line. "Going to the movies?"  
I could hear Haru force back a laugh. Ok, so it's fairly true that Reina Rosette is not one of your typical straight-A students and first-class intellects. Sure, she's a little dense but who cares if her I.Q. is in single digits when her bust line certainly isn't! I couldn't keep my eyes off her, even if she was flanked on both sides by her dippy friends who kept popping gum in absolute boredom.   
  
Haru turned around to face her. "Why no, Reina angel, we're actually here for the Seaweed Convention. They're gonna have a Miss International Seaweed contest and everything. Aren't you one of the contestants? You certainly have the hair for it. Oh…but maybe not. Miss Seaweed also needs to have pukey-green complexion."  
Reina giggled. I could see Haru's little smile creeping up his face. Obviously, Reina couldn't distinguish a joke from an insult, but her friends Remi and Nagi surely can. Both girls shot daggers at Haru.  
  
"Cut it out," I said under my breath. "Stop needling her."  
  
"She seems to be enjoying it. Why? Want me to ignore her?"  
  
"I just want you to---"  
  
"What movie are you going to see, Musica?" Reina directed the question at me, her full lips curved in that famous seductive smile. I could feel my hormones race up and down in as complete roller-coaster fashion.  
  
"Well, we we're going to see Pirates of the Carribean---" Haru answered.  
  
"But decided not to," I cut in. "What movie are you going to see?"  
  
"La Dolce Vita, " Reina said. That was the "icky romantic foreign film."  
  
"Great! We we're planning to see the VERY SAME movie. Why don't we go together?"   
Haru let out a screeching sound, very unlike a man's. He grabbed my neck in an armlock and pulled me forward as the line inched toward the ticket window.  
  
"Are you out of your crazy, lovestruck mind?" He growled in a low voice. "I AM NOT going to be caught dead watching that mushy romance slop! You'd better be kidding or I'll twang your neck like a guitar right now!"  
  
"Forget the movie," I rushed, "just think. We can sit next to the three hottest babes in the freshman class…probably three of the hottest babes in the entire school! It can't get any better than this. You can have Remi and Nagi, I'll take Reina."  
  
"I don't want Remi and Nagi! I don't want to have anything to do with those snobs or their stupid movie!" Haru exploded.  
  
"Keep your voice down!"  
  
I turned to see if the girls had heard Haru's outburst but I should have known it wasn't really necessary. Suddenly, the three of them began talking in loud, animated voices, giggling and whispering madly. Reina had this flushed look about her making her all the more gorgeous and I noticed she kept tossing her hair back like she always did in class when she's primping. I then saw Remi mouthing something to Reina while trying hard to contain herself from giggling. I tried to read the words and it sounded like she's saying "heart" or something like that.  
"Aw, c'mon Seig, do we really have to watch this movie?" I shifted my gaze. It landed on an obscenely tall, blond-haired guy carrying an oversized popcorn bag. Next to him was an equally tall guy clad in expensive chinos and matching loafers. Sieghart and Lucia. The jocks of Shinomori High School. I then realized what Remi had been trying to tell Reina---"Seighart" had gotten in line behind them.   
  
"Yes you know very well we have a paper due on this tomorrow. You can back out if you like, I'm going in." Seighart's cool voice splashed over me like a bucket of ice water, jolting me back to cold reality. Obviously, the girls were showing off for the two jocks. Both guys were the top-rated campus crushes and superstars of the school's soccer team and under ordinary circumstances, would date only the girls from their junior class of the teen queens of the cheerleading squad. I figured Seighart and Lucia wouldn't even think of giving a second look at these freshmen gals, but then, Reina was no ordinary freshman. She was unreal.  
Soon, the seven of us were all gathered at the ticket window. Haru didn't budge so I tried to wedge my way through to buy the tickets.  
  
"Haru, let me through."  
  
"I'm warning you Musica. Buy those tickets and you'll wind up in the infirmary," he hissed under his breath.  
  
"Dammit Haru, are you my friend or not? Where's your sense of loyalty and support?"  
  
"There's only so much "loyalty and support" I can give a crackpot like you."  
  
"Move it!"  
  
"Make me!"   
  
I was getting really desperate. Visualizing Vash's favorite move, I grabbed Haru's arm, twisted it, and shoved him into the side railings.  
  
"Two for 'La Dolce Vita'," I nearly screamed to the ticket vendor.  
Haru leaped back and snatched the money from my hand.  
  
"Give that back!"  
  
"Today please?" the woman scowled at us holding out the tickets she had punched.  
Suddenly, a large hand snaked into the front of the ticket window, grabbed the tickets and plunked down the exact amount at the counter. Without saying a word, Seighart eyed both of us coolly and headed towards the theater, Lucia chuckling behind him.  
  
Haru made for the ticket window. "Two for Pirates of the Carribean."  
The woman eyed Haru up and down, got his money and punched the tickets. He whooped in delight and crashed into a bulky figure behind him.  
  
"Well, well, what do we have here? Minors eh?" It was the head of the mall security. "Let's see some ID kid."  
"ID? Oh…ID! Well you see officer…I…ah…I forgot to bring it. Yeah that's right, I forgot to bring my ID, ne Musica? Musica, help me out here. Musica?!!"  
  
I wasn't paying attention. I watched in crushed spirits as Reina and her friends bought their tickets and excitedly rushed inside theater Five where Sieghart and Lucia had disappeared. My mind was a complete blank and my gut felt like a block of ice. I could hear Haru screaming in the background but I didn't really care. My poor heart was shredded to pieces---like finely grated mozarrella. 


	3. Chapter 3

oOOOo  
  
The following morning, I sauntered into homeroom feeling totally disoriented. I didn't know how to face Reina, who must by now, be laughing her pretty head off at my bungling stupidity. The words "TOTAL LOSER" must be engraved in my face like a finely carved bust. On the other hand, I also didn't want to see Haru who must, by now, thinking of the colorful ways with which he could skin me alive for not bailing him out last night.  
I saw Haru sitting quietly in his desk, chewing gum. Casually, I walked up to him.  
"So, how did it go? I tried to come with that ticket woman to the main office but they told me I can't come and get you…" I trailed off uncomfortably.  
Haru looked at me blankly. "No prob. I got off easy anyway. No big deal."  
"Great…uh…so you're not mad?"  
That little smile of his appeared near the corner of his mouth. "Nah. It's ok."  
Relieved, I returned to my seat just as Reina sashayed inside the room, perfect posture, hair and all. She plunked herself in her desk and took out a small compact, held it in front of her fruity lips and retouched her lipgloss. Suddenly, I had a strange craving for ripe fruit. She snapped the compact closed and examined her long pink-tipped nails. It was then she noticed me gaping at her like a moron.  
"Hello Musica! So how was the movie last night?" she purred. I could swear I clutched my throat.  
"Uh fine! Pirates of the Caribbean was great. How was the foreign movie?" Pretty smooth, if I do say so myself. Reina gave me a long, slow look, her tiny mouth quirked in a tiny smile. "It was---just as I had hoped for."  
Her words hit right home. She must have managed to snare Seighart inside that dark theater. I didn't want to guess what had happened after that. The homeroom teacher began to call the roll and I decided I'd better get to my seat. For the next fifteen minutes or so, my mind was in a complete haze. Visions of Reina, Seighart and the dark theater kept dancing in my head like the rhumba. I practically drowning in jealousy that I didn't hear the teacher call my attention.  
"Musica, you're wanted by the school librarian. Musica? Musica!" I jerked my head back to reality. The homeroom teacher was shooting daggers at me.  
"Are back to planet earth, Musica-san?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You need to go to the library now. The librarian wants you. Go now before you disrupt the class any further with your snoring."  
Muffled giggles came from the back of the room. I gathered my books and walked out the door, still feeling a bit dazed. What would the school librarian want with me anyhow? I've never even been to the library, much less borrowed anything from that stuffy cubbyhole. I entered the library and headed for the librarian's desk when I bumped into a student carrying a huge pile of books that came crashing down with a large thud.  
"Hey, sorry bout that! Here let me help you pick that up."  
"Oh Musica-san! You did come!" I looked up, startled. Elie Valentine! "Haru told me you'd be coming over to help me with my books. I thought you had class today but I guess you're willing to skip classes for me. Oh Musica, you're so wonderful!"  
Before I could react, Elie threw her arms around me. I struggled to break free of her and pick up my own books from the messy pile. Damn Haru! He really set me up this time. I should have known from that smile of his a while back. Elie was still staring at me adoringly. She held out one hand and (could it be just my imagination?) fluttered her eyelashes at me. "Won't you help me stand up Musica-san?"  
I held out my hand reluctantly and pulled her up. She kept very close to me, like a leech thirsty for blood---MY BLOOD. Her hands came up to my chest. Uh oh! Is this what she had learned from that darn book? I tried to shake her hands off when my nose whiffed something very strong and very rosy. Perfume? Impossible! My sweat glands shifted into overdrive.  
"Elie, will you please let me through? I have to see Mrs. Mikami, she sent for me." She snuggled closer, this time, her head nearly resting on my heaving chest. I was beginning to feel really sick by the smell of the perfume. "Elie, I have no time for this!"  
"Musica-san…there's no need to rush," she whispered in a breathy voice. Haven't I heard that voice from somewhere before? Of course! Reina uses the same breathy tone, just like the girls of Cosmo and Vogue, only, Reina sounded like the real thing.  
"Will you PLEASE get your hands off me?" I was getting desperate, unfortunately, so was Elie.  
"Musica-san, listen to me. Mrs. Mikami didn't send for you…I did."  
"You what?!!" My eyes began to water and itch. I felt so numb, like all the energy was being drained out of me by the scent of Elie's killer perfume. I sneezed.  
"Gesundheit. Look Musica, Haru told me how you really feel about me and I think that's just wonderful."  
"What are you talking about?" A whole volley of sneezes now. My face was burning bright red and the room began to look cloudy. Haru had better write out his will right now.  
"Please Musica, let's not be immature about this. You know very well how I feel for you and I really didn't expect the feeling to be reciprocated. But now that I know you also like me so much, I think it's best we be honest to each other, ne?"  
An explosion of sneezes followed my long, strangled outburst.  
"Are you crazy? I don't like you! What the hell made you think that? Just because you read that stupid book and Haru filled your mind with garbage? Let's get this straight shall we? HARU LIED! He was trying to get back at me for leaving him at the movies. You are not my type, never will be in a million years so butt out!"  
Then I stopped. There, I said it. But what in the universe did I just say? Mean, hateful words of rejection echoed in my ears. Did I just say that? I looked at Elie who was too stunned to speak.  
"Elie…Elie I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"  
But she turned around and was out of the room like a bolt of lighting. I felt the room tilting, or was it just my imagination? A tiny scrap of paper fell on the floor straight out of her jean pockets. I picked it up and read it. My breath caught in my throat, making my head spin.  
  
If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?  
If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?  
If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all  
  
I never know what the future brings But I know you are here with me now We'll make it through And I hope you are the one I share my life with  
  
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?  
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?  
  
Did she write this? My eyes scanned the paper over and over again. It was beautiful, so beautiful I could almost feel the music of the words reverberating in my ears. "Hey there stranger," a melodic voice rang into my ears. "What's that you have there?"  
Maybe it was just because I was born stupid that I acted the way I did. Maybe it was because deep inside, I'm really nothing but an insensitive, selfish slob. Or maybe it was just because Reina, with all her lusciousness and dreamy, siren's voice, was too strong a force for my normal male hormones to overcome that without even thinking, I thrust the note I was clutching straight to her and said, "It's for you." 


End file.
